Coupling-controlling mechanism.



lH. 0. 1311110111.A l GOUPLING CONTROLLING MEGHANISM.

APPLIoATIoN FILBDAUG. 2s, 1910.

' Patented M31'. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1,.

COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH CD..WASHlNaroN. 9.1:.

H. C. BUHQUPl UOUPLING'ONTROLLING MEGHANISM. y I

Patented' Mar. 26, 1912.

v SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

` COLUMBIA PLANDCIRAPH COuWASHINGTON, D.' C.

y H. G.- BUHUUP. COUPLING GONTROLLING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

' 4Patented `Mar. 26, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CULUMBIA PLANOURAPH C0.. WASHING'IUN. D. C

UNITED vSTATES PATENT HARRY C. '.BUHOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR TO THE MCCONWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

COUPLINGr-CONTROLLING MllCI-IANISlVI.

Specification ofLetters riatent. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed August 29, 1910. Serial No. 579,379.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY C. BUHOUP, a citizen of the United States, residing ,at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupler-Controlling Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art toV which itl sion of simple means wherein the contact or connection of the co-acting elements is such that each member of the combination may cont-rol the movement of the other and at the same time each element may move independent-ly of the other whereby the durability and security of the controlling mechanism is enhanced.

To this end my invention, generally stated, embraces the combination with a coupler capable of a laterally swinging movement, of a controller element movable independently of the coupler, and an interposed contact element whereby the coupler and the controlling mechanism may not only move in unison lout also independently of each other.

There are other, minor, features of invention, all as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the drawings illustrating my invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims, Figure l is a plan view of the end of a car equipped Vwith a coupler controlling mechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2

is an end elevation of the devices illustrated in Fig. 1, the portion of the coupler which extends forwardly of the carry-iron being omitted; Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe coupler, and a portion of the coupler controlling mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

the car platform to which they are attached being shown in vertical section; Fig. 4 isa detail sectional view of a portion of the curved supporting rail or track for the carry-iron of the coupler, and a side elevaf tion o f a portionof the carry-iron; Fig. 5 1s a detail view, partly insection of one end of the sup-porting rail for the carry-iron, showing the relation thereto of the controllerand the carry-iron; Fig. 6 is a plan View of the end of a car equipped with a modified form of the coupler controlling mechanism illustrated in the preceding figures of the drawings; Fig. 7 is a detail view in elevation and partly in section of one end of a supporting rail for the controller member, a guide pulley for the flexible controller member, and a sheave and coiled spring for actuating the controller member shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of one end of the supporting rail, the controller member, the guide pulley and the Spring actuated sheave, shown in Fig. 6, the supporting rail being in section. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of a portion of the supporting rail, controller member, carry iron, and slide or floating contact, shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a detail view, partly in plan and partly in horizont-al section, showing like parts wherever art to whichfit appertains may apply the same. f

-In the drawings, A is the coupler and B the draft gear which is yieldingly and pivotally attached to the car in the usual or any approved manner. v

The coupler itself forms no part of the present invention, and therefore may be of any desired form, provided it satises the above-noted requirements.

Preferably the coupler will have a limited vertical as well as a lateral movement, and for this reason the opening in the carry-iron, or its equivalent, is of sufficiently greater height than the couplerto permit of the dey sired vertical movement of the coupler.

In the present instancethe means illustrated for supporting and permitting the laterally swinging motion of the coupler consist of a curved track or supporting rail 1 attached to the under side of the car platform, and a carry-iron 2 adapted to travel on the supporting rail 1. The supporting rail or track 1 may be, and preferably is, formed with a ledge or shoulder 1a for the support and guidance of the controller element, where, as is preferably the case, said element is a chain, or of a flexible character, and the supporting rail is provided at its opposite ends with stops 1b to limit the lateral travel in either direction of the carry-iron 2 and the coupler A.

The carry-iron 2 as shown in the drawings is one having a T-slot 2a for the reception of the bottom iange of the supporting rail or track 1 on which it travels, and an opening 2b for the passage of coupler A, -said opening 2b being of sufliciently greater height than the coupler to permit of a limited vertical play of the coupler in the carry-iron. The opening 2b may be closed by the bottom member 2C which is bolted or otherwise secured to the upper member of the carry-iron so as to support and confine the coupler within the carry-iron 2.

Upon the upper surface of the carry-iron 2 is a contact member 2d which projects into the path of a similar contact member attached to or carried by the controller member 5.

Secured to and extending downwardly from the under side of the car platform, at or adjacent to the ends of the curved supporting rail or track 1, are brackets 3, on each of which is journaled a vertical shaft 3a having secured thereto at its upper end a sprocket wheel 3b and at its lower end a bevel gear 3. I-Iorizontally journaled in each of said brackets 3 is a second shaft 4 provided with a bevel gear 11a which meshes with the bevel gear 3c, and a hand wheel 4b for manually rotating said shafts 4, 3a to operate the controller member 5.

The controller element which has a movement independent of the coupler and which is preferably of a iieXible nature, is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing as an endless chain 5 that passes around the curved supporting rail or track 1, and the sprocket wheels 3b and is supported on the ledge or shoulder 1a of the supporting rail 1. Secured to or carried by the controller element 5, are contact elements 5a which co-act with the contact element 2d of the carry-ironi2. The contact elements 5a carried by the controller element 5, are so relatively disposed thereon that when in given positions with relation to the longitudinal axis of the car and the normal or central position of the coupler, the coupler may move laterally in either direction independently of the controller element 5. p

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings is the simpler form of the mechanism, and, therefore for many reasons the preferable one. There are, however, many modifications thereof which will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic, as for instance the construction shown in Figs. 6 to 11, inclusive, of the' drawings. In this last named construction it will be noted that the bottom flange 1c of the curved supporting rail or track 1 is the equivalent of the ledge 1a of the construction shown in Figs. 3 and t, and serves as the support of the controller element 5, and that stops or projections 1d at the ends of supporting rail 1 are the equivalents of stops 1b in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and limit the travel in either direction of slide block 8, carry-iron 2 and coupler A. The controller element 5 instead of being an endless chain as illustrated in Fig. 1, is one whose opposite ends pass around loose or guide pulleys 6 and are secured to sheaves 7 having shafts 7a journaled in brackets attached to the under side of the car platform. The shafts 7a are provided with hand-wheels 7b whereby the shafts may be rotated to effect the desired travel of the controller element 5 in either direction. In some instances it may be found desirable to combine with the sheaves 7 and shaft 7a a coiled spring 7c located within the sheave 7 which spring will be wound up as the controller is operated by the shaft and sheave, and will react to return the sheave and the controller to their original and normal positions as soon as the sheave is released.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 to 11 of the drawings, instead of providing a contact member 2d on the top of the carry-iron 2 for engaging the contact member 5a of the controller member, there is shown a slide block 8. This slide-block is movable on the controller element 5 and is engaged and moved by the contact member 5a thereof, and in turn contacts or engages the side of the carry-iron 2 and imparts motion to the carry-iron and coupler. There are two of these slide-blocks or lioating contacts 8 employed, one on each side of the carry-iron, and they are each, preferably, provided with projecting tongues 8a which serve to maintain the proper relation of the controller member and the carry-iron. When in contact with the carry-iron, the tongues 8a which travel under the controller member enter the T-slot 2a of the carry-iron.

Assuming the coupler A to be in its normal or central position as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and it is desired to move the coupler into one of its lateral positions so as to couple on a curve; one of the handwheels will be rotated to cause the controller member 5 to travel in the direction in which it is desired to move the coupler. In the course of the travel of the controller member one of the contact members 5a will engage the contact member 2d (Fig. 2) on the carry-iron 2 and move the carry-irony and coupler into the required position to make the coupling. When the coupling has been 5 made, should the coupler swing farther in the same direction, no movement of thecontroller will ensue, nor will it occur until such time as the coupler swings in reverse direction past the position wherein the coupling was made. Then this takes place the Contact member 2d on the carry-iron will engage the contact members a of the controller 5 and reverse the travel of the controller until such time as the coupler has 5 reached the limit of its movement in the reverse direction, after which the movement of the controller member will cease, and will not again occur until the controller is manually operated.

0 In case of the kconstruction shown in Figs. 6 to 11 of the drawings, the operation of the controller mechanism is substantially the same as in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, except that the contact member 5a 5 instead of directly engaging the carry-iron engages it through the intermediacy of slideblock or floating contact 8 which is picked up by the contact member 5a of the controller and moved into contact with the 0 carry-iron. In this form of devices, the

slide-block or Heating contact 8 will be arrested by the stops 1d when the extreme lateral movement ot' the coupler, in' either direction, has occurred, and the blocks 8 will 5 remain in position at the opposite ends of track 1 (see Fig. 6) until the controller member 5 is again manually operated to move the coupler, but the contact member 5a may continue to move with the controller 0 member 5 back and away from the slideblock.

It is to be noted that in the modification, Fig. 6 of the drawing, the' coupler is shown as in the central position, and the floating 5 contacts or slide blocks 8 at the extreme limit of their movement, viz., at opposite ends of the supporting rail'l and resting against the limit stops 1d. If now it is desired to move the coupler to either side of 0 its central position, as for coupling on a curve, the proper sheave is rotated to obtain the desired direction of travel of the controller 5, whereupon the contact member 5a which is back of the slide-block or 5 floating contact 8 that is to be moved will carry said slide block forward into contact with the coupler and cause the slide block 8 to push the coupler into Ithe desired position for coupling. As soon as the sheave 0 and controller are released, the coiled spring which has been energized by the turning of the sheave to cause the travel of the controller will react to reverse the movement of controller member 5 and carry the contact 5al to its first position, but will leave the coupler, which position the floating contact 8 will continue to occupyv until the movement of the coupler also returns it to its iirst position. In this travel of the controller 5 one contact member 5a thereon, will of course have to pass around one of the guide pulleys 6 and on to the sheave on which the controller chain 5 is being wound, but as this contact member 5a does not exceed an inch in length and so projects but slightly the slack of the controller 5 will readily permit it to pass the guide pulley 6, and any unevenness of the windings of the controller chain 5 on the sheave becomes a matter of no material importance, as it will not affect the operativeness of the devices.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination of apivotally mounted coupler, and a exible controller member whereby said coupler maybe caused to turn on its pivot, said coupler and said controller member being independently movable.

2. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination of a pivotally mounted coupler, a flexible controller member which is movable to cause said coupler to turn upon its pivot and which is also movable independently of the coupler, and means movable with the controller member to cause said coupler to turn on its pivot. 3. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination of a pivotally mounted coupler, a movable controller member, said controller member being movable independently of the coupler, and means movable by and also independently of the controller member and of the coupler to cause the coupler to turn on its pivot.

4. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination of a pivotally mounted coupler, an endless iexible controller member movable independently of the coupler, and means movable with the controller member and also independently of the coupler to cause the coupler member to turn on its pivot.

5. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination of a pivotally mounted coupler, al flexible controller member movable independently of the coupler, and means movably connected to the controller member and adapted to turn the coupler on its pivot, said means being movable by the coupler when the latter swings in one direction and being unaffected by a swinging movement vof the coupler in the opposite direction.

6. In a mechanism of the character indicated, the combination with a pivotally mounted coupler, of a supporting rail, a

iso

carry-iron supporting said coupler and slidably mounted on said supporting rail, and a flexible member guided by said supporting rail and having means for actuating said carry-iron.

7. In a mechanism of the character indicated7 the combination With a pivotally mounted coupler, of a curved rail, a flexible member guided by said rail, and means actuated by said flexible member to cause said coupler to turn upon its pivot.

In testimony Whereot1 I atX my signature, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HARRY C. BUI-IOUP. Witnesses D. B. MASON, I-I. W. STANNARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

